Feed mechanism for metal-working machines.



H. P. TOWNSEND.

FEED MECHANISM FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE21.1914.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

Fig.1. 5307 IVITNESSES:

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H. P. TOWNSEND.

FEED MECHANISM FOR METAL WORKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, l9l4.

Patenmdl m. 26,1918.

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I'VITNESSES:

pairs snares rarnnr HARRY P. TOTHNSEND, 0F HARTFGRD, CONNECTICUT.ASSIGNOR TO THE H. P. TOWNSEND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD,CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

FEED MECHANISM FOR METAL-WORKING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. t t pm, 5, 1915 Application filed. June27, 1914. Serial No. 847,7?1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY P. TOWNSEND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the'county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and Improved Feed Mechanism forMetali/Vorking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of machines employed for formingmetallic articles by cutting, turning and like operations, andespecially screws, and an object of my invention, among others, is toprovide a feed device for machines of this class that shall be extremelysimple in construction and eflicient in operation.

One form of device embodying my invention and in the construction anduse of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may beattained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a view in lengthwise vertical section through the base of a machinehaving my improved feed device mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section througl the same. i

Fig. 3 is a detail view, scale enlarged, illustrating the constructionand manner of operation of the feed fingers.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 6 indicates the base or tableof my improved machine supported on legs 7. The feed mechanismillustrated and described herein forms a part of a machine embodyingother inventions, set forth and described in my copending applicationfiled concurrently herewith, and there is illustrated and described inthe drawinp 'in this case, the feed mechanism with only such other partsrelating to the rest of the machine as will enable a clear understandingof the arrangement to be obtained. The location of the chuck spindle isillustrated by dotted outline in Fig. 2.

The numeral 13 indicates a gear secured to a cam shaft 14 mounted inbearings on the frame of the machine, and the numerals 20, 24, 28, 33and 50 indicate chucking, belt shifter, brake, rock shaft and back restcams, respectively, for operating mechanisms other than illustratedhereinand further descrip tion concerning the same is therefore omitted.

The numeral 38 indicates a bracket adjustably mounted upon the table 6,ears 37 projecting from the side of the bracket for the support of a sawlever appurtenant to other parts of the machine. A hopper 51 issupported on a standard 52 rising from the table and having a feed blade53 pivotally mounted in the hopper and actuated in any suitable manner,as by a crank 54 upon which the lower edge of the feed blade rests, saidcrank being secured to a shaft 55 mounted underneath the hopper andbearing a pulley 56 driven as by means of a belt 57 from a pulley 90 onthe cam shaft 14. A straight runway 58 extends obliquely downward fromthe hopper and transversely to the axis of the spindle C and is arrangedto receive blanks taken up by the blade 53 in a common and well knownmanner, and these parts being of well known construction further anddetailed description is omitted herein.

A carrier 59 is secured to a carrier shaft 60 mounted in bearingsprojecting from the under side of the runway 58,.the axis of thisshaftbeing obliquely arranged. This carrier is preferably shaped asquadrant with a pocket 61 at the peripheral portion of one edge, thispocket extending radially of the carrier in position to receive blanks62 from the runway when the carrier is in its normal position, and asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The walls of the pocket haveopenings 63 within which feed fingers, to be hereinafter described, maypass to grasp a blank. An arm 6% is secured to one end of the shaft 60and a slotted rod 65 connects said arm with carrier shaft op eratinglever 67 pivotally mounted on the side of the bracket 38. The connectionherein shown consists of a pin 66 secured to the lever 67 and projectingthrough the slot and a bearing block 7 5 is supported at the upper endof the lever as by means of a projection 74 from the block extendinginto a hole in the lever and secured as by means of a set screw.

A feed fin er shaft 76 is rotatably mounted in the block 5, feed fingers77 being secured to one end of the shaft and a grooved disk 78 beingsecured to the shaft preferably on the opposite side of the block fromthe feed fingers. 'A cord 79 is wrapped about the disk 7 S, and extendsover a sheave 39 mounted in a projection on the under side of thebearing block, said cord being secured to a post 40 on the bracket 38. Aspiral spring e1, having one end secured to the shaft 76 and the otherto a 0st 42, rotates the shaft in onedirection, anc pull of the cord 79will rotate itin the opposite direction, this pull upon the cord beingobtained in the rocking movement of the feed finger lever 70 to move thefeed fingers downwardly into line with the axis of the chuck spindle. Itwill be noted that the end ofthe cord is so arranged that a bend occursin its length, so that the feed fingers may have a slight movementdotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

, downwardly without drawing upon the cord and for a purpose to behereinafter explained. A pushing finger 80 is secured to a pro jectionfrom the block 7 5, the working end of this pushing finger being locatedopposite and in line with the recess between the feed fingers, and inposition to aid in placing a blank in the chuck, but to prevent fullpickup movement of the finger if the blank is too long.

A feed arm 81 is secured to the feed finger shaft 71 and projects inposition to engage and to be operated by the feed face 82 of the cam 24con the camshaft 14, as shown in A spring 93 hold the feed arm yieldingly1 against the face of said cam.

In the operation of the device the carrier being in its normal positiona blank is located in the pocket 61, and at the proper time a cam 69 onthe periphery of the cam 48 engages the lower end of the carrier shaftoperating lever 67, moving the upper end toward the carrier and rockingthe carrier shaft sothat' the edge of the carrier bearing the pocket ismoved downwardly to a position in the path of movement of the feedfingers 77. When the pocket 61 is in this position the cam 7 3 releasesthe lever 70 for an instant, the spring 1% drawing 7 the lever slightlydownward and the spring fingers-grasping the blank within the pocket inthe carrier. The cam promptly actuates the lever, moving the feedfingers back from the carrier and the latter is returned to its normalposition. A substantial depression in the cam 7 3, passing the end ofthe lever at the. proper time, causes the feed fingers to be moveddownward in position in line with the axis of the chuck C shown indotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be noted that when the feed finger takethe articles from the pockets in the carriers, the head of each articleis presented toward the chuck. In the slight movement of the fingers toremove the articles from the carriers, the cord 79 is slackened and hasno effect upon the feed fingers. Upon the next forward and considerablemovement of the feed fingers the cord 79 being tightened, the disk 78 isrotated suiiiciently to cause the feed fingers to make a one-half turn,so that the article held thereby has its position changed end for end inposition to be moved into the chuck. The cam face 82 now permits thefeed finger shaft 71 to move lengthwise under the influence of thespring 93, carrying with it the feed fingers and pushing finger 80,forcing the article into the chuck that thereafter is, by propermechanism, caused to grasp the article, and the cams 82 and 73 returnthe feed fingers to the position shown in Fig. 2 in readiness foranother operation.

While I have shown and described herein a satisfactory form of mechanismfor accoinplishing my purpose, this may be departed from to a greater orlesser degree and yet be within the spirit and intent of the inventionwithin the scope of the claims.

I claim- 1. A blank feeding mechanism including a runway having astraight inclined edge extending to its lower end forming a track forblanks, a carrier pivotally mounted to receive blanks delivered bynatural forces thereto from said runway in a substantially uprightposition, said carrier conveying said blanks to a substantiallyhorizontal position, and-means for lifting said blanks from said carrierand for bodily conveying and delivering them into a blank holdingdevice.

2-. A blank feeding mechanism including a runway for blanks, a carriermovably mounted to receive blanks delivered by natural forces thereto ina substantially upright position from said runway and to carry them to asubstantially horizontal position, and means for lifting said blanksfrom said carrier and for bodily conveying and delivering them into ablank holding device.

3. A blank feeding mechanism including a runway having a straightinclined edge ,forming a track for blanks, a carrier pivforming a trackfor blanks, a carrier mounted on a pivot having its axis parallel withthe plane of inclination of said track to receive blanks in asubstantially upright position and to convey them to a substantiallyhorizontal position, and means for removing articles from the carrierfor delivery to a holding device. 7

5, A blank feeding mechanism including a runway having a straightinclined edge forming a track for blanks, a carrier mounted to swing ina plane at right angles to the plane of inclination of said track andhaving a pocket to receive a blank from the track in a substantiallyupright position and to convey the blank to a substantially horizontalposition, and means for removing articles from said pocket for deliveryto a blank holding device.

6. A blank feeding mechanism including a runway for blanks, a carrierpivotally mounted to receive blanks delivered by natural forces theretofrom said runway in a substantially upright position, means for movingthe carrier through an arc of substantially ninety degrees to move saidblank to a substantially horizontal position, and means for lifting saidblanks from the carrier and for bodily conveying and delivering them toa blank holding device.

7. A blank feeding mechanism. including a carrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, feed fingersrotatably mounted and otherwise movably mounted to remove articles fromthe carrier for delivery to a holding device, means for so moving saidfingers, a disk secured to rotate with the feed fin.- gers, and meansfor engaging the disk to cause said rotation.

8. A blank feeding mechanism including a carrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, feed fingersmovably supported to take blanks from the carrier, a rotatable supportfor saidfingcrs, means for imparting feeding movement to said fingers,and a flexible member wrapped about the rotatable support to effectrotation thereof.

9. A blank feeding mechanism including a carrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, feed fingersmovably mounted to remove articles from the carrier and feed them to ablank holding device, a rotatable support for said feed fingers, meansfor imparting feeding movement to'the feed fingers, and

flexible member wrapped about said support and secured to another memberto effect rotation of said rotatable support by reason of said feedingmovement.

10. A blank feeding mechanism including a carrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, feed fingersmovably mounted to remove articles from the carrier and feed them to ablank holding device, a rotatable support for 11. A blank feedinmechanism includin I a carrier with means for supplying blanks thereto,means for operating the carrier, a movably mounted feed member, a blockcarried by said member, feed fingers rotatably mounted in said block, agrooved disk secured to rotate said feed fingers, and a flexible memberwrapped about said disk to effect rotation of the feed fingers by reasonof the feeding movement thereof.

1:2. A blank feeding mechanism including a carrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, a movablymounted feed finger support, feed fingers rotatably mounted in saidsupport, means connected with the feed fingers to cause their rotationby reason of their feeding movement, and means for permitting partialmovement of said fingers, in the direction of feeding movement thereof,without causing rotation of said fingers.

13. A blank feeding mechanism including acarrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, a feed lever,means for operating it, a rotatable support at the upper end of thelever, feed fingers secured to said support, a flexible member wrappedabout said support, and means for securing said flexible member topermit partial movement of the feed lever without rotating the support.

14. A blank holding device to receive a blank in combination with ablank feeding mechanism including an inclined runway arrangedtransversely to the axis of said device, a carrier mounted on a pivot toswing in a plane transversely to said runway, and means for removingarticles from said carrier for delivery to said blank holding device.

15. A blank feeding mechanism including a carrier with means forsupplying blanks thereto, means for operating the carrier, a lever withmeans for operating it, a block carried by said lever, feed fingersrotatably mounted on their longitudinal axis in said block, means forrotating the feed fingers, and a pusher carried by said lever, said feedfingers and pusher having their positions fixed with respect to eachother.

16. A blank feeding mechanism including feed fingers movably supportedto remove blanks from one position and deliver them to a holding device,a rotatable support for said fingers, means for imparting feedingmovement to said support, and a flexible member engaged with therotatable support and arranged to remain loose during a part of themovement of saidsupport and to be drawn tight during the feeding move- 7ment of the feed fingers,

'rotatably mounted feed fingers, means for imparting feeding movement tosaid fingers to deliver articles to a holding device, a disk secured torotate With the feed fingers, and means for engaging the disk to causesaid rotation.

19 A blank feeding mechanism including feed fingers movably supported todeliver blanks to a holding device, a rotatable support for saidfingers, means for imparting feeding movement to said support, and aflexible member Wrapped about the rotatable support to effect itsrotation.

HARRY P. TOWVNSEND.

Witnesses ARTHUR B. JENKINS, A. E. OBRIEN.

(joplesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents,

. \Vashington; I). G.

